Timbering or bracing system



June 2.8, 1.927.

. E. A. HERRICK ET AL TIfMBERING OR BIVKACING SYSTEM June 28, 1927. 1,634,104

E. A. HERRICK ET Al.

TIMBERING OR BRACINGl SYSTEM Filed March 21. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet? @Q1-Mw Y @fa/z v June 2s, 1927.

E. A. HERRICK ET AL TIMBERING OR BRACING SYSTEM Filed March 2l, 1925 3 ShQOtS-Shet MP INVENTORS ffm/Arr f?. ifi/Pfaff i l R ATTORNEY Patented June 28, 1927.

UNITED sTArEs y 1,634,10e PA'TEN'T- rincer.

ERNEST A. HERRICK AND THOMAS LEONARD MACREAN, or New YORK, N. Y.

TIMBERING on BRACING SYSTEM.'

`,Application led March 21, '1925. Serial No. 17,208.

The object of our invention is a new system of timbering or bracing theH sides orV banks of any excavation in a manner that will protect the ground adgacent tothe excavation lagainst settlement and at .the

same time aord sufficient head room to per- -mit`r the use of a steam or powershovel, or

other mechanical excavators for lexcavating and disposing of the materialsV required to be excavated. This and other objects are 'l accomplished by our invention, one embodiment of which is hereinafter more particularly set forth. d v

For a more detailed. description of our'invention, reference is to be had vto the accomp'anyin g drawings, forming a part hereof, in which v Figure l is a sectionalview showing the timbering of an open cutembodying our invention.

Figure 2 shows a bracing block and adj acent timbers;

Figure 3 shows another formV of bracing block and adjacent timbers.

Figure 4 is a front elevation ot the bracing block shown in Figure 2, together with a portion of a timber Vwhich supports it.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the bracing bloclt'shown in Figure 4', theview being taken at right angles to the view shown in Figure 4.

LFigure 6 is a plan view of the bracing block shown in Figure 2, and

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 7 7 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. Y

Figure 8 isa front elevation of the diagonally disposed timber seat showniinFigure 3.

Figure 9 shows a modified form ot bracing block and the adjacent timbers which support the same;

Figures l0y and l1 are sectional views, taken on the lines lO-lO and 11-ll, respectively, of Figure 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figures l2 and 13 are views of the bracing blocks shown in Figure 9, the views being taken next the horizontal and vertical timbers.

Throughout the various views of the drawings, sim'ilar reference characters designate similar parts.

Generally speaking, this invention consists et eembination of braces and, bracing f excavation thereof, taken blockswhich' are larranged and disposed in such a way'rasfto form anl arch from side to side ofthe excavation, under which the work `canrbe carried on by the use otmechanicalexcavatingv machinery. It is particularly suitable in'trench.excavations for the con-y struction of pipe lines, sewers orsubways in citystr'eets whether the work is carried on in open cut or underdecking. v

x In the herein described embodiment of our invention, the excavation is first carried down to al depth that will permit the placing of'one or more setsoiv through braces l which are Lplaced transversely toA the line of and butt against p the side stringers 2, Vin the 'conventional manner, and thesefstringers 2 supportthe usual sheeting 3 kthat y.protects the sidesof the excavation the usual way.y The braces and stringers arel kept in position vertically and tied together by posts 4 and straps 5 which are boltedinr in the usual way. Y l v When the excavation has reached Vthe level of the lowest through brace l1 and the same is inposition, as above described, a second set of 'sheeting 3 is driven down, in the-conventional manner, and afsecond 'set vofstringers'2are put in place and carried by posts 4 in the usual manner.v The second set of sheeting 3 may be inside 'the iirst set, as shown in F igurel, and their exteriors are againstv the interiorof the lowest stringers 2 ofthe top set, yTo permit the second set of stringers 2 to'be inserted, it is necessary to shorten the lowest through braces 1 so as to permit the insertion of the lower stringers and this is Vdone in the usualmanne'r. The lower stringers 2 are provided at suitable intervals with bracing blocks 6 which are shown in detail in Figures 3 and 8 and the lower surfaces of the lowest through braces lare provided'with corresponding bracing blocks'y shown in detail in Figures 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 and these bracing blocks 6 and 7 are connected by raker braces 9 and the bracing blocks 7 are kept properly placed by means of spreaders l0 so that the thrusts due to thefpressure of the earth on the lower sheetings 3 a-re transmitted in opposition to each other and if there be any upward thrust of any consequence, it can be taken care of by counteracting braces 11 secured and disposed substantially as shown in Fig:

ure 1. VThese counterbraces 11 may be secult to get the timbers cut and connected in such a way that the connections will be elii-l cient. yThese difliculties are overcome by the use of the bracing blocks which will now be described in detail and through the use of '1 which the timbers are practically uninjured and not trimmed and may be used again and again.

The simplest form of bracing block is shown in Figures v3 and`8. This form of block is preferably made of a casting havu ing a connecting web 12 at each side of which are seating webs 13 and 14. The web 13 is provided with an upper flange 15 which rests on a timber 2 and the web 14 hasa flange. 16 which supports one end of a. raker brace 9. To hold the bracing block 6 in place it is preferable to perforate the flange l and drive a nail 17 through this perforation and also to provide ridges 18 which will take into the wood of the Stringer 2, if desired these ridges may be omitted. It will be noted that the seats of the two webs 13 and 14are at an angle one to the other, according to the location of the bracing block,

' the lower ones having the larger angles -Of course, these bracingblocks are designed ac- Y Vcord-ing to the positions which they occupy,

all of which may be standardized according to the design of the timbering. V-

TheA other brace blocks 7 are more complicated in thatv they have to provide for a multitude of raker bracesin each instance. Here there is the connecting web- 19 corresponding to the web 12 which has been described above, and this web 19 is reinforced by laterally extending reinforcing webs 20. On three sides the web 19 is bound by the seating webs 21, 22, 23 and 24 which will now be described in detail. The welqy21 is adapted to rest against the end of the spreader and has a laterally extending perforated flange 25 to enable it to make a good fit. The web 22 sits against the bottom of a through brace 1 and has laterally extending, perforated ears 26 by means of which the bracing block 7 may be held on the bottom of a brace 1 by means of suitable nails 27. The webs 23 are provided with laterally extending perforated flanges 28 which are adapted to support an end of a raker brace 9 and these raker braces may be secured in place by means of nails 29 which pass through the perforations, as shown. The seat 24 is identical with the seat 23 except that it is placed at a different angle with regard to the web 22 so that a ralrer brace 9 will seat firmly and securely against this web and another brace will seat against the web 23 and these braces will go to different levels to the corresponding bracing blocks 6, as above described.

Tfrom time to time it is desirable that all last indefinitely and they also permit the repeat-ed use of a standardized construction.` i different form of brace, but embodying the saine general idea is shown in'Figures 9 to 13 inclusive. Here the vertical timbers 31 and the horizontal timbers 32 are. bolted together at their intersections by suitable bolts 33, or held in any other'desired way,

and they are also united by means of braces.

34 connected to brace blocks 35and 36, respectively. The brace blocks35, in the construction shown, have connecting webs 37 with two seating webs 38 and 39, one at each side. The web 38 in the embodiment shown has two projecting lugs or dowels 40 adapted to take into the respective upright timbers 31 against which the web rest-s, suitable holes being made for this purpose, whereby the bracing bloclr is'kept from slipping and it is held against the uprights 31 by means of bolts 41 that pass through projecting ears 42 that extend from theweb 38 and also pass through a perforated bar 43 on the rear of the posts 31, as shown. The seat 38 has two laterally extending flanges 44 which are adapted to embrace the endof the timber 34 and hold the lower end of the same in place. l

rlhe ripper brace block 36 is the same as the lower except that it is shorter and has only two webs 37 instead of three. Its lugs 40 are closer together, but as the parts correspond exactly, except for this difference in length, a further description is unnecesE sary. f

The advantages of our improved construction can be readily comprehended from the foregoing. It provides a firm support for the sides or banks of an excavation and at the same time affords ample head room for the use of power excavating machinery and it also provides room for construction worlr of any kind. It also provides a construction which can be used in covered or open work, as desired. In Figure 1 is shown a construction used in covered work where the planking 45 for a street is shown in place.

It will be understood that the structures herein described may be varied without in any way departing from the seope of this invention, as defined .in the following claims. e

Herring thus described our invention, what we claim is:

l. A bracing means for the sides or banks of an efcavation comprising transverse timbering disposed between said sides, longitudinally disposed timbering and bracing members for said transversetimbering and longitudinal tiinbering inclined inwardly and upwardly from the points of Contact with said sides, whereby the pressure of the sides upon said bracing members aids in supporting said transverse and longitudinal timbering.

2. A bracing means for the sides or banks of an excavation comprising transverse timbering disposed between said sides, longitudinally disposed timbering, a roadway supported by said timbering and bracing members for said transverse timbering and longitudinal timbering *inclinedy inwardly and upwardly from the points of contact with said sides, wliereby the pressure of the sides of the excavation is utilized for supporting said roadway.v

Signed at die city of New York, county of New York and State of New York.

' .n A. HERRICK. T. L. MACBEAN. 

